Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
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The Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad (C&SL) was a historic railway in Lower Canada, the first Canadian public railway[1] and one of the first railways built in British North America.
Origin
The C&SL was financed by Montreal entrepreneur and brewery owner, John Molson.[2] It was intended as a portage road to connect the St. Lawrence River valley with Lake Champlain, cutting time from the trip between Montreal and New York. Construction began in January, 1835 when surveyors determined the line would run from St. John on the Richelieu River to the nearest point on the St. Lawrence at La Prairie, across the river from Montreal.
Throughout 1835 the grading, fencing, masonry and bridge work were completed, as well as stations and wharves at Laprairie and St. John. Orders were also placed for a locomotive, which was to be built in Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as four passenger cars, which were to be built in the United States. Several freight cars were also built in Montreal.
The 16-mile (26 km) line was built as a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
British North America's first locomotive arrived at Molson's wharf in Montreal in June 1836. It was named Dorchester and had been constructed by Robert Stephenson, son of George Stephenson who was the manufacturer of The Rocket. A wood-burning 0-4-0 design, it was the 127th locomotive built by Stephenson and was nicknamed "Kitten" by those who observed its uneven "skittish" ride – a result of the short wheelbase. Trial runs took place at night to avoid frightening the public; maximum speed was approximately 30 mph (48 km/h).
The C&SL opened to great fanfare on July 21, 1836, with several distinguished guests in attendance besides Molson, including
in 1999, the Dorchester was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame. Due to its unique status as the first locomotive used in Canada, it was recognized for its contribution to the railway industry as "Rolling Stock" in the "National" category.[4]
Growth and eventual merging
Regular operations commenced on July 25 and while freight traffic was stagnant on the line for many years, passenger traffic and excursions proved extremely popular early on, with many extra passenger trains being hauled by horses until additional locomotives arrived in 1837.
The C&SL merged with the Montreal and New York Railroad in 1857, formerly known as the Montreal and Lachine Railroad, with the new company being named the Montreal and Champlain Railroad. The Grand Trunk Railway leased the M&C in 1864 and purchased it outright in 1872.
In 1923 the GTR was nationalized and the ex-M&C, née-C&SL trackage was incorporated into the
New York company
The approximately 1.2 miles (1.9 km) between Rouses Point and the New York/Quebec border were owned by a separate company, also called the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad, incorporated in New York on February 26, 1851.[6] It was merged into the Canadian National Railway at the end of 1960.[7]
Culture
C&SL Railroad was immortalized by Canadian country music artist Orval Prophet[8] on his "Judgement Day Express" album (1973) with the song "Champlain and St. Lawrence Line"[9]
In 1986, for the World's Fair Exhibition in Vancouver called Expo 86, the Molsons donated a functional replica of the steam engine used to ferry travellers and goods on the C&SL Railway.
Gallery
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In the Steam Expo Parade of Canadian and U.S. steam locomotives at the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication (Expo 86), a World's Fair held in Vancouver, BC, Canada -
Exporail Museum, John Molson Steam Locomotive reproduction, in action in front of the depot -
The John Molson replica on Expo 86 in Vancouver -
Exporail Museum, John Molson Steam Locomotive reproduction -
Exporail Museum, John Molson Steam Locomotive reproduction, interior view -
The Wheels of the engine.
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See also
Railways portal
Canada portal
History portal
References
- ^ "Significant Dates in Canadian Railway History". Colin Churcher website. Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ISSN 1920-9894.
- ^ Lavallee, O.S.A. (February 1963). "The Rise and Fall of the Provincial Gauge" (PDF). Canadian Rail (141). Canadian Railroad Historical Association: 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ^ The North America Railway Hall of Fame
- ^ "Canada's History - History Spotlight: Canada's First Railway". Archived from the original on 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
- ^ Interstate Commerce Commission (1929). Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States. Valuation reports. Vol. 143. United States: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 93.
- ^ Annual Report on Transport Statistics in the United States for the Year Ended December 31 1961. United States: Interstate Commerce Commission. 1962. p. 538.
- ^ "Ontario's Country Music Pioneers: Orval Prophet". CMA Ontario. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ^ "Orval Prophet – Judgement Day Express". DISCOGS. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
Further reading
- MacDonald, Herb (March–April 2003). "The Lost Years Of The Champlain & St. Lawrence" (PDF). Canadian Rail. No. 493. pp. 43–59. ISSN 0008-4875.
- Mills, John E.; Castle, C. H.; Casey, William R.; Lindsay, W. D.; McGill, Peter; Anderson, Chas. E. (1936). "The Champlain and St Lawrence Railroad". The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin (39): 6–62. JSTOR 43517097.